An Encounter in the Woods
by Narex
Summary: What happens when Drizzt and his companions encounter the bhaalspawn's group just after escaping the Underdark? Explicit gore is involved, so I think that gives you some sort of clue. One shot.


AN: This is a little one-shot story set in Baldur's Gate 2 just after you escape the Underdark. On a personal level I've never really been a fan of Drizzt after his first few books, so I'll admit I leaped at the chance to kill him in both BG games.

After I had killed him in BG2 I tried to imagine what one of his introspective journal entries would look like, so I tried to write it out. Be warned, the following battle contains explicit gore.

We had spent only a short time in the seedy city of Athkatla before we knew that the shadow war between the Thieves' Guild and some other group was real. Bruenor constantly grumbled into his mug about the "durned thieves!" as he drank his ale.

The city had its charming and beautiful parts, but the constant fear of the night marred whatever beauty the city had. A rumor led us out of the city and to the south, towards other more concrete problems that could be solved quickly, problems that affected innocents unlike the shadow war which seemed to avoid unnecessary slayings.

Everything about the walk in the forest is lost to my memory by what transpired after that. All I remember is laughter before Regis suddenly stiffened and called out a warning. Ahead of us we saw six figures walking towards us.

My hands quickly went to my sabers, Icingdeath and Twinkle, but I made sure not to draw them. The figures ahead of us didn't appear to be bandits. As they came closer I picked out more distinctive features.

An old human in platemail carried a two handed sword as walked next to an armoured half-elven woman. Their gear was in good repair but its wear and tear was evident.

A hulking, bald human with a strange tattoo walked next to a very annoyed looking bearded human who looked simply exhausted as he walked. The bearded man's expression was one of pained tolerance as he brushed at the dirt that clung to his gloves.

The last two were obviously wizards. They were both slender and with their hoods thrown back it was clear that they were both elves, one male and one female.

Caution was written across the features of the lead two warriors as they spotted us, and the woman drew a strange looking club with practiced ease and settled her shield onto her arm. The older man drew his claymore and held it before him in a battle ready stance. Immediately, the others fell back into combat positions. The bearded human in plate, some sort of cleric, hastily drew and loaded a sling as he stepped back with his spellcasting two companions. The tattooed human boldly stepped forward with his own two handed sword clenched tightly in his fist. His dark scowl seemed reserved for me alone.

Their aggressive postures made Wulfgar pull Aegis Fang into his hands and hold it ready while Catti-Brie held Taulmaril low in her grasp, with an arrow in her other hand.

"Easy now," called out Bruenor in a careful voice, "There be no need for yer blades. We're just travellers like yerselfs."

The male elf immediately asked in a pointed and cold voice, "Who are you who travels with a drow?"

"That's Drizzt Do'Urden!" angrily called Wulfgar.

"Something likely claimed by every drow who walks on the surface," said the imperious, bearded cleric with a slight sneer, "We shouldn't trust them."

"Be calm, friend," I had called out, "Just let us pass and we will never bother you again."

The male elf stared down at me coldly, calculatingly. He declared, "I cannot chance it that you will report back to your drow masters and send assassins for us after we have just escaped your clutches. No. This ends here."

"Please!" I called, not wishing to fight them, "Do not-" but the wizard's hands were already in motion and he snapped out a quick spell. I called Guenhwyvar to my side as a ring of soft, white clouds formed and a turquoise skinned woman stepped through. Confusion flashed through my mind as the angel joined the fray. The wizard was obviously not aligned with evil, but he continued to fight us.

The cleric whipped a bullet at Catti-Brie, who spoiled her aim by having to dodge it. Wulfgar roared a wordless challenge as he rushed towards the older human, who brought his blade up. "By Torm I shall strike you down!" he called as he settled into a defensive stance and watched the barbarian's aggressive approach.

Guen was already moving to intercept the tattooed man as he charged forward and she rumbled threatening to get his attention.

The male elf rattled off another quick spell and vanished from sight before I could close with him and, with a snap of her bronze wings, the planetar closed with me. Her glowing, darting blade forced me to keep on my toes, but I knew that she wouldn't be able to best me.

Icingdeath knocked her sword wide for a moment and Twinkle swept in to leave another bloody gash in her otherwise flawless, turquoise skin. My attention wavered for a moment as I saw the elven woman chant in a lilting voice. A column of fire roared down from the heavens and almost struck Bruenor but the old dwarf rolled aside at the last moment.

My distraction cost me my advantage and the planetar had her guard up as she cautiously tested my own defences. I pressed her hard in return, desperately seeking to end the confrontation so I could come to the aid of my other companions.

It sickened me that angelic blood slicked my blades, but I pressed harder against the planetar's failing defences. I felt it then - a whisper-soft touch at the back of my neck quickly followed by the feeling of cold metal encircling my throat.

I tried to whip around and gut whoever stood behind me, but a soft, mental _stop_ forced my body into stillness before my blades could come around.

I met the tired blue eyes of the male elven wizard who looked at me with exhaustion written across his features. Even as I struggled to lift my arms to kill him I could feel his mind insinuating itself into mine through the collar. "The toys of the illithid are powerful indeed," the elf murmured more to himself than me. I could hear the planetar invoking healing magic behind me and I despaired.

The wizard looked past me to my companions and I turned as well at his silent command. My heart warmed to see Guen atop the tattooed man, her jaws barely being held back from his throat, as Wulfgar valiantly battled the other human. It was a shame that a servant of Torm would fall, but they were the aggressors. Their blind aggression would cost them.

Bruenor traded blows with the elven woman, who called prayers to Silvanus as she struck at the dwarf. "Go. Kill the halfling who seeks to kill Jaheira," the wizard ordered the planetar.

The female wizard cried out, her spell ruined, as one of Taulmaril's arrows punched through her defences and stabbed into her thigh. Though the arrow was robbed of much of its force the wizard was clearly wounded and collapsed to the hard earth.

_Kill the woman with the bow_ sounded in my mind. Though my consciousness screamed in horror, my body leapt to obey and I raced towards Catti-Brie with my scimitars held low.

The wizard calmly began to chant and a volley of flaming arrows from his hands and struck Guen, who yowled as she rolled on the ground, desperately trying to extinguish the flames that clawed at her. I yearned to return her to her home on the Astral Plane, but the compulsion from the choker around my neck didn't allow me that.

At first, Catti-Brie didn't take me for a threat despite my aggressive approach. Please, I thought, please stop me. I would have rather taken one of Taulmaril's arrows through my heart than harm her.

The tattooed human roared, "For justice!" and Guen roared loudly in agony. The warrior had evidently regained his footing and had managed to impale the panther with his blade. I could sense her leaving back to her home plane as the magic that tethered her here dissipated.

And then I was on her. I struck out at Catti-Brie with all my skill, all my grace, and she looked at me with confusion. I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry Catti-Brie. This was never my intention. I never wanted to hurt you.

Even if she drew her sword she stood no chance against me, but I didn't let her get that chance. The choker demanded I work with as much brutal haste as possible. "Elf, what're ye doin' to my girl!?" roared Bruenor as he caught a glance at me. I couldn't answer.

His distraction cost him and the elven woman's club slammed into his head and sent the dwarf staggering back.

Confusion and betrayal were visible in Catti-Brie's eyes as she shouted at me, demanded to know what I was doing. I tore her throat out with a swipe form Twinkle and felt a slight pulse of pleasure from the elf who forced my actions. Catti-Brie fell to the ground as blood poured from her throat. She looked at me without comprehending what was happening and I turned away as _kill the dwarf_ echoed through my mind. Hatred and anger churned my guts in a way that I didn't think was possible but the image of Catti-Brie's confusion over my betrayal played out in my mind even as my body raced towards Bruenor.

I turned in time to see the planetar strike down Regis. She pressed him hard and the little halfling gamely kept up, but he made a mistake when he tried to counterattack. He swiped his mace towards her kneecap but she leapt over it with a flap of her wings. The motion threw dust into the air and blinded Regis who staggered back. That moment was all she needed as she let her full weight add to her attack and she struck downward. The blade pierced through the halfling's heart without pausing and pinned him to the ground. He looked up into the luminescent gaze of the planetar, who stared back at him mercilessly. She yanked her sword out and raced away as Regis quickly died.

Seeing two of my oldest friends fall was surreal to me. It was impossible. It couldn't be. These thoughts raced through my mind as I positioned myself behind Bruenor and stabbed down. I knew exactly where the seam in his armour was and the choker forced me to exploit that knowledge. My scimitars slid him and tore through both his lungs. My blades were free of his chest before he knew what hit him.

I screamed in my own mind as I watched Bruenor collapse to the ground. His fading gaze was confused and he stared at me for a moment before he fell still.

_Kill the barbarian._ I couldn't resist the order. Wulfgar was the last one standing. He seemed to have had an advantage over the older human, but he couldn't last with all of us descending on him.

Almost a dozen pink orbs of magic hammered into the young barbarian and made him stagger backwards. I came in low and Icingdeath hamstrung the great warrior, who collapsed to his knees. The flurry of blows that followed left the blonde human dead.

Stillness settled over the forest as my four companions grew cold in the chilly winds. Without further orders I stood by and watched as these monsters healed each other and looked suspiciously at me.

I wanted to kill them all. Kill them all so slowly and painfully it would make Baenre's torture masters sick. The Hunter screamed for release, but the illithid choker around my neck stopped me from making any sort of move.

They moved to surround me. _Stay still_ came the command and my body locked up. They swung. My chainmail blunted some of the attacks and the collar crumbled as the magic that controlled me failed. I tried to riposte, to lash out, to take one of them to the grave with me, but a sling bullet slammed into the back of my head.

The blades pierced the parts of me that weren't protected and I gasped as I knew my end was coming. I'll see you soon, my friends.

I looked up at my killers. The male elf dispassionately looked down at me. "They could have actually been who they said they were," noted the old human.

"That was a risk we were not able to take. Keldorn, Jaheira, check the bodies for anything useful," called the elf as everything around me quickly went black.

AN: Hope you enjoyed it. Feel free to comment and review. I also mean no offence to anyone who does like Drizzt.


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